That changed with the arrival of "Hello Kitty," the fourth single from Lavigne's 2013 self-titled album, which is quickly reminding us that there's no news like bad news to a pop provocateur.

A ham-fisted attempt at incorporating Japanese influences into her usual teen-pop sneer, "Hello Kitty" is proof that in 2014 there's no better way to cause a viral firestorm than with a little bit of cultural appropriation. There's probably no way to do this kind of cultural salute without offending someone, but like her predecessors, Lavigne doesn't help her cause: Her attempts at homage are mostly limited to hiring a group of impassive Asian backup dancers and making everything pink.